Improved mode of washing sand



TODD & DOWNER.

Mode of Washing Sand. No 59,481. Patented Nov. 6, 1866.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES TODD AND ALBERT G. DOWNEB, OF FAYETTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED MODE OF WASHING SAND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,481, dated November6, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES TODD and AL- BERT G. DOWNER, of Fayette city,in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Machine for Washing Sand from which window and other glass ismanufactured; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of thisspecification, showing a transversal vertical section, a plan view and aperspective view, and the letters and figures marked thereon. Themachine is known as the elevator sandwash, and is constructed asfollows, viz: a frame-work of any desirable size to confine the workingportion of the machinesay about four feet high and six to eight feetlong. The working portions of the machine consist of riddle, spouts,troughs, boxes for elevators to work in, elevators, gum or chain strapsor belting, pulleys, drums, and shaft.

In the first place, water must necessarily be used to work the sandthrough the riddle and to separate it from all gravel.

The riddle is placed directly over spout No. 1, through which the sandis forced into the elevator-box A, (shown in section and plane thencethe sand is brought up by the elevator, passing through box A, and isdropped into a trough (marked D on the drawing) placed immediately infront of the elevator boxes and below the shaft. In front of that troughD, and standing one foot higher, is trough E, which is intended to bekept full of clear water.

In trough E are two small gates, G and H, placed somewhat to the left ofthe mouths of elevator-boxes A and B. By raising the first gate, G,opposite the mouth of elevatorbox A, the water, in flowing from E intotrough D, forces or washes the sand down spout No. 2 into the lower partof the elevator-box B, whence the sand is lifted again by the elevatorin B, and dropped a second time into trough D, separated from that of Aby a partition, to

prevent contact with the more muddy sand of mouth of the elevator-box B,makes the water 7 flow down from E into D, and thence wash the sand downspout No.3 into elevator-box O, and thence is carried up by the elevatorin O and poured out clear and free of all loam or dirt.

Trough F, at the back part of the machine is divided off by partitions,and the outside board provided with notches I in such a way that eachset of elevators discharges its muddy water through notch I belonging tothat set, the lower line of which notches defines the level of the muddywater to about one-third of the height of the incline of the. elevator,as every drop above that will fiow through said notches according to thelaw of gravity.

By this arrangement, and by leaving the top and one side (showing in thedirection of the movement of the elevators) open, (which elevators arein all other machines of the kind on but one side open,) and allowingbetween the elevators and the elevator-box side and bot-' tom wallsnearly one-quarter of an inch space, the water can easily escape downthe elevatorboxes, carrying the dirt along through the notches I, .butstill leaving the sand, as more compact, in the elevators.

It is obvious hereby that as the muddy water is lifted to only aboutone-third of the height, less than one-half the power is neededwhich anyother machine for the same purpose requires, and that there is at Dalways clear water. In fact, a one-horse power will be sufficient towash forty tons of sand a day.

In each elevator-box is a pulley, which is placed about one foot fromthe end of the box, and high enough from the bottom of the box to letthe elevators pass round and nearly touch the bottom.

The drums of the shaft may be made of any size sufficient to bring upthe sand by the elevator. The elevator-boxes should be made of hardwood, and the elevators of steel or heavy sheet-iron, and should be sixinches long and not more than four inches deep.

Riddle, spouts, and troughs we disclaim,

and drums, and the manner in which each box discharges the muddy Waterfrom the sand.

Signed and witnessed this 4th day of May, 1866.

JAMES TODD. A. G. DOWNER.

Witnesses:

B. B. TODD, J AMES W. EBERHART.

